The invention generally relates to electronic circuit protection, and more specifically to a connector providing electrostatic discharge protection.
A common problem often occurring when users interface with electronic circuits and devices, is the build-up of electrical charges on the devices, circuits, and the users themselves. Typically, charges are generated on devices and circuits, such as a circuit card, during handling of the card. When a card bearing charges is inserted into an electronic apparatus or its connector, the charges cause current to flow to the electronic apparatus through the connecting terminals of the connector or through other components of the system. The charges can result in damage to or ultimate failure of the circuits or other circuit elements on the card as well as the electronic apparatus itself.
Consequently, structures have been embodied in IC cards and/or their mating connectors for removing static electrical charges stored in the cards. The card typically is grounded to the electronic apparatus. To facilitate grounding and to provide effective static protection, IC cards have been provided with conductive grounding clips for engaging appropriate ground means on the mating electronic apparatus. In fact, with the recent standardization of memory card-receiving connectors, (such as PCMCIA and JEIDA), the location of the grounding clips on the IC card (and the mating connector) is provided at a fixed location along the outer side edge thereof. Previous designs of grounding clips include stand-alone grounding elements soldered directly to the internal circuit board and coupled directly to one or both covers, and clips fixed on one end to the card frame or formed integrally with a shield or cover for connection to a grounding pad on a bottom surface of the internal circuit board. Each of these designs has drawbacks however. The stand-alone grounding elements tend to be very small components which require fixturing and/or special handling during assembly. The clips fixed to the card frame typically are soldered to a grounding pad on the bottom surface of the internal circuit board. Accordingly, as the board is processed upside-down during soldering, the board must be fixtured to prevent misalignment or disassociation of the board relative to the clip and frame assembly. In some cases, struts on the frame itself can interfere with the soldering. In the case of grounding clips integral with a shield or cover, the stamping and forming of such an element becomes complicated and expensive, particularly since the robust material of the cover also is used to form the resilient grounding clip, thus making the clip particularly susceptible to inelastic deformation. Furthermore, because of the number of components involved in card assembly (i.e. circuit board, frame, receptacle connector, top and bottom covers, etc.), additional components can make the assembly of the memory card increasingly difficult.
An electronic circuit protection device includes a first receiving portion capable of receiving a first connector. The first receiving portion is approximately conformably shaped to the first connector. The first receiving portion is electrically coupled to the first connector when the first connector is inserted into the first receiving portion. The device also includes a second receiving portion capable of receiving a second connector. The second receiving portion is electrically coupled to the second connector when the second connector is inserted into the second receiving portion. The device electronically couples the first connector to the second connector when the first connector and the second connector are inserted into the device.